Netanyahu Urges Jonathan Pollard’s Release in Call With Kerry

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Jonathan Pollard. Photo: PD.

JNS.org – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the release of jailed Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, who was recently hospitalized, during a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday.

“Jonathan Pollard’s life is at risk and after 30 years in prison, the time has come to release him and allow him to live out the rest of his life as a free man,” Netanyahu said.

Pollard was hospitalized on Friday after falling unconscious. American officials recently rejected a request for Pollard’s parole, saying that freeing him would “constitute contempt for the severity of the offense and promote a lack of respect for the law.” Yet Pollard is the only person convicted of spying for an American ally (Israel) that received a life sentence in prison, and numerous former U.S. government officials called his punishment was disproportionate for the crime.